Tahitian Idol—the Goddess Hina

Tahitian Idol, the Goddess Hina by Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903, represents a pinnacle of the artist’s experimental printmaking practice, executed during his transformative period dedicated to Polynesian subjects. Dated 1894–1895, the piece is classified as a wood-block print, but Gauguin pushed the limits of the medium through extensive hand-coloring. The black ink impression serves as a foundation for carefully applied color, utilizing brush and solvent-thinned pigments like yellow ocher and reddish-orange. Furthermore, the inclusion of green and pink wax- and resin-based media adds textural complexity and richness to the surface of the cream wove paper, blurring the lines between mass-produced prints and unique mono-type treatments.

The subject, Hina, the Goddess of the Moon in Polynesian mythology, is stylized into a powerful, blocky form, characteristic of Gauguin’s (1848-1903) aesthetic shift toward Primitivism. His artistic pursuit of mythic authenticity involved merging indigenous visual traditions with European Symbolism, creating compelling idols that served as spiritual anchors for his visual narratives. This unique combination of high-relief wood carving and painterly execution on the surface results in an iteration of the print that underscores the artist’s innovative role in elevating graphic arts. This seminal work, produced shortly after his return to France from Tahiti, resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As a key example of the French post-Impressionist movement's engagement with non-Western cultures, this image is frequently studied; high-resolution copies of many of Gauguin's influential prints are now widely available through public domain initiatives.